Nuno Espirito Santo has been named as the new West Ham manager, with Graham Potter fired just a few weeks into the new Premier League season.
West Ham have lost four of their opening five games and Potter struggled to turn things around after arriving midway through last season.
Nuno Espirito Santo, who was fired by Nottingham Forest a few weeks ago, replaces Potter and will take charge of West Ham for the first time as they head to Everton on Monday.
Nuno Espirito Santo arrives: ‘I’m very pleased to be here’
Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo has signed a three-year contract at West Ham and has already started working with his new squad.
“I am very pleased to be here and very proud to be representing West Ham United,” Espirito Santo said. “My objective is to work hard to get the very best from the team and ensure that we are as competitive as we possibly can be. The work has already started and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead.”
The Hammers added in a statement that Nuno Espirito Santo is ‘among the most highly respected coaches in the modern game’ following his recent achievements, while he has ‘outstanding coaching ability, tactical acumen and leadership qualities.’
West Ham United statement on Graham Potter
West Ham United can confirm that Head Coach Graham Potter has left the Club. Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025/26 season have not matched expectations, and the Board of Directors believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team’s position in the Premier League as soon as possible.
The Club can confirm that Assistant Coach Bruno Saltor, First Team Coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach, Lead Goalkeeper Coach Casper Ankergren, and Goalkeeper Coach Linus Kandolin have also left with immediate effect. The Board would like to thank Graham and his coaching staff for their hard work during their time with the Hammers and wish them every success for the future. The process of appointing a replacement is underway. The Club will be making no further comment at this time.
Nuno the right person to take charge?
In theory this is a very good fit.
Nuno Espirito Santo can do at West Ham what he did at Forest and he has a very similar squad to work with.
After overachieving at both Wolves and Forest as he set up teams to defend first and be dangerous on the counter, this is exactly the kind of model Nuno should follow to give West Ham success. And it will be in line with what David Moyes did at West Ham.
The Hammers have the players to play the way Nuno wants and his preferred tactics will line up well with the strengths of his new squad.
